Messenger
by LOSTrocker
Summary: Richie returns to Earth to assure Mac that he's okay.


**Author's Notes:** This was inspired from Stan Kirsch's own fiction called From The Grave which can be found in Highlander: An Evening At Joe's, page 89. Its pretty much about Richie sending letters down to the ones he left behind. I thought instead of letters what if he actually went down himself? Now, there is mentions of Heaven and what not but keep in mind this is not meant to offend anyone. This out of pure fun and my own imagination.

**Messenger:  
By: LOSTrocker **

"C'mon Fitz." Richie pleaded for the millionth time. "Let me go down to earth and talk to Mac!"

"How many times do I have to tell you: No!" was the English gentleman's reply, of course gentleman wouldn't be the word that Richie would describe him as. "You know the rules!"

"Yes, I know the damn rules!" Richie shot back. "That's all I have are freaking rules. I'm sick of them! Fitz! Mac needs us right now!"

"You don't think I know that?" retorted Fitz. "You don't think I don't want to help him, sooth him in his time of mourning?"

"Then why don't you?" Richie questioned angrily. "You're a higher up, you have the power to." Richie reminded him. "You did it before you can do it again!"

"No, I can't." said Fitz. "As much as I want to, I can't. Do you know how many people I have to try to safe? I can't just wisp down there to aid Mac. He's Immortal most of my clients aren't, and they only get one shot at the Game of Life."

Fitz was sort of a Charles Dickens up here and a pretty good one.

"So, you expect me just to sit back and do nothing?"

"For your own good, yes!" Fitz answered him. "And you know bloody hell what will happen if you do…"

There was silence. If one broke the rules, one was given a first class ticket straight to hell… And that was a scary thought for the both of them. Earth was bad enough.

A ringing went off in Fitz' ear, telling him one of his clients needed his help. "I have to go. This discussion is over."

"But-"

"Over!" And with that Fitz poofed from the Heavens down to Earth.

Now, Richie was alone. "Dammit!" he cursed angrily.

Richie pushed some clouds away so he could gaze down at his teacher. He was still in the temple, mourning, and training himself, or rather pushing himself like he always did when he lost a friend. The guilt that consumed Mac was so powerful that Richie was able to feel it too. It broke his heart to see Mac in so much pain it brought tears to his eyes. He couldn't stand up here anymore. He knew the costs, but he didn't care. If he could assure Mac that it wasn't his fault and he was okay, then it would all be worth it. After all Mac took care of him all those years, taught him what he needed to know, he owed him something.

Mac was in bed at the temple, but he couldn't sleep. Sleep was becoming much harder these days. The memory of his blade cutting through Richie's flesh still haunted him. How could he not see it? He was the Highlander, the best of them all or so they all claimed. He should have seen it! If he had Richie wouldn't be dead.

Mac tossed and turned in his bed the image of Richie swirling about in his mind until it hurt. Then something happened to him. He felt a familiar presence, but it couldn't because it was impossible, or was it?

Richie poofed down like Fitz did and now he was before Mac. "Hey Mac. Miss me?"

"Richie?" Mac couldn't believe what he saw before him. Richie. All decked out in white, which was so not Richie like.

"No, you're not seeing things, it's me. In the flesh, well, in a matter of speaking anyway." Richie laughed.

Mac was so overwhelmed by Richie's presence that he broke down. "Oh Mac," Richie knelt down and wrapped his arms around him.

"I'm sorry, so sorry…" Mac sobbed over and over again.

"Mac, what happened to me wasn't your fault." Richie reminded him. "You're just long list of people that demon bastard got to."

"But I'm not like most people Richie, I should have been more alert, I should have…"

"Shoulda, woulda, coulda." Richie replied. "Somethings you can't change Mac, and this is one of them, but you can change on how you feel about this. Instead blaming yourself, use what you have to go back on that sorry SOB and get rid of him."

"What if I can't?" Mac asked sadly.

"Trust me, you will." Answered Richie with a smile.

"How do you know?"

"Hello, I'm an angel, remember, I know these things." Richie reminded him.

Finally Mac laughed. "That's hard to believe." He replied.

"Hey, I wasn't that bad." Richie said.

"Ha!" Mac retorted playfully. "But seriously, you're okay?"

"Are you kidding?" Richie returned his question with his own. "Yeah, I'm great Mac. Really great. It's real nice up there. Well, expect for Fitz riding my ass all the time, and bugging the ever living shit out of me."

Mac laughed again. "You'll get use to that."

"You mean it gets worse?" Richie asked.

"You have no idea, but in some ways, he does… Mean well…"

"Is that what you keep telling yourself?" Richie told him.

"Pretty much." Answered Mac.

Richie was about to continue on with the conversation but Fitz' voice in his head rang out angrily. "YOU BETTER GET YOUR ARSE UP HERE NOW!"

"Dammit," cursed Richie.

"What's wrong?"

"I have to go." Richie answered sadly.

"Now? So soon?" Mac didn't want him to leave.

"Yes, unfurtunally." He said with a sigh of frustration. "Before I go, don't worry Mac, everything is going to be okay in the morning. Tell Joe, Amanda, and Methos that I miss them. I'm watching over you guys."

Before Richie left, he placed his hand upon Mac's forehead, causing the Highlander to go into a deep sleep, in the morning he would think it would be all a dream, but it would help him feel so much better. "Later… Dad…" Then Richie went back Upstairs.

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'VE DONE?!" Fitz yelled at Richie once he was back where he was suppose to be.

"Yes, I do!" Richie answered. "I helped a friend."

"He wants to see you, and me."

Richie knew who Fitz was speaking of: the All Might Himself. Richie would be lying to himself but he was scared but he didn't regret what he did.

Fitz yanked Richie to see the Boss. Fitz had to translate for him because he was still so new. "He's very disappointed in you for breaking the rules," Fitz shook his head. "I told him not to go," then went on to deliver His message. "However, for your selfishness, He's granting you a new title – Duncan MacLeod's Guardian Angel."

Richie couldn't believe it. "Me?" he asked.

"Yes, you." Fitz answered with a smile.

"I thought I would be going to hell for that." Richie said.

"No, acts like you just pulled are very rare these days, even up here sometimes." Fitz informed him. "As Mac's Guardian you are allowed to be with him when ever you see fit and can show yourself to him only at those times."

Richie couldn't help but cheer. He might not be physically be able to spend more time with Mac, but who cared? He was going to be able to see him more and more time with the man he adored more then anyone else.

"So, go on boy you got a job to do." Fitz pushed Richie away.

"Wait, what about you?"

"Well, I'm here because I got a little too involved with one of my female clients."

Richie's eyes nearly popped out. "You can do that?"

A thunder clash in the background warned Fitz he better not go on. Richie's hormones were bad enough when he was alive. "Forget it. Go be with Mac. Watch out for him."

Richie went to poof back down but Fitz stopped. "Wait, one more thing, take this."

Fitz tossed him a small white book with a pen. "What is this?" asked Richie.

"You need to report on MacLeod, and come back here when you're done for the day."

Richie smiled. "Ah, so I'm kind of like a Watcher?"

"Yes, but more of a Heavenly one."

"Sweet." Richie complimented. Joe better watch out there was a newer Watcher in town. He bid adieu to Fitz and went down to watch over Mac.

The Highlander would be in good hands.

**Fin. **


End file.
